
Is BOWEN Arrow #309B worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 53× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 BOWEN Arrow #309B sells for $96.00 against $1.81 raw: a $94.19 spread, 53× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.88) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.81
- PSA 10
- $96.00
- PSA 9
- $14.88
- Gem premium
- 53×
- As of
- Oct 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $96.00 | +$69.19 | +$44.19 | −$55.81 |
| PSA 9 | $14.88 | −$11.93 | −$36.93 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $6.29 | −$20.52 | −$45.52 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $1.81 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $35.16 | −$16.65 |
| 50% | $55.44 | +$3.63 |
| 75% | $75.72 | +$23.91 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 46%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $125 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $96.00 | −$29.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $58.00 | −$67.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $58.00 | −$67.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Other 1987 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading BOWEN Arrow #309B — FAQ
Is BOWEN Arrow #309B worth grading?
A PSA 10 BOWEN Arrow #309B sells for $96.00 against $1.81 raw: a $94.19 spread, 53× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.88) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 BOWEN Arrow #309B worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 BOWEN Arrow #309B (1987 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $96.00 versus $1.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 53× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for BOWEN Arrow #309B?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $125, ahead of PSA 10 at $96.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does BOWEN Arrow #309B need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading BOWEN Arrow #309B break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting BOWEN Arrow #309B breaks even when it gems about 46% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.88).
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